Knee harness for boots



Aug. 1942- s. F. BAIRD 2,293,791

KNEE muwsss FOR BOOITS Fild Sept. 10, 1940 ESE/E E EE/Ezi Patented Aug. 25, 1942 KNEE HARNESS FOR isoo'rs Earle F. Baird, Waltham, Mass, assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 10, 1940, Serial No. 356,218

3 Claims.

This invention relates to knee harness for boots and is especially useful in high rubber boots of the type wherein the upper leg portion is adapted to be turned down to the knee.

The chief objects of the invention are to provide knee harness that is adjustable, not only circumferentially of the leg of the wearer, but also in the vertical direction so as to fit the leg of the individual wearer, and to provide comfort to the wearer, light weight and an inconspicuous construction.

These and further objects will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a boot with the upper leg portion folded down to show knee harness constructed according to and embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the manner of attachment of the harness to the leg of the wearer.

In accordance with the invention provision is made for a knee harness that is adjustable not only circumferentially of the leg of the wearer, but also vertically so as to adapt the harness comfortably and effectively to legs of varying lengths.

With reference to the drawing illustrating an embodiment of the invention, the harness is applied to a boot Ill which may be of a rubber and fabric construction including an inner lining ll of fabric having an outer wall l2 of rubber throughout the boot for a waterproof construction. The boot shown is a high boot and in the three figures of the drawing the upper leg portion is folded down to the region of the knee to expose the leg harness.

The harness structure comprises a pair of generally T-shaped elements l3, l4, which may be of fabric or other suitable flexible material,

the stems l5 and I6 of which are secured at their bottoms to the inner face of the boot. For this purpose the stems l5, 16 may be inserted between the lining H and the rubber I2, a fabric element ll preferably being inserted between the rubber and the stem and the lining l'la of the upper leg portion of the boot with its rubber wall 12a preferably being adhered in overlaying relation to the lower leg portion as illustrated in Fig. 2, the whole structure being intimately and strongly united by vulcanization.

The ends of the cross portions of the T-shaped elements l3 and [4 preferably are spaced apart circumferentially of the leg of the wearer so as to provide for adjustment in that direction. One pair of adjacent ends have suitable fastening elements, which may be in the form of eyelets l8, l9 to receive lacing means, and the other pair of adjacent ends have a vertical row of eyelets 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, and Zla, 2Ib, Zlc, and Zld, which provide a plurality of groups of the eyelets arranged vertically. This provides three groups of eyelets at different levels there being two eyelets in each group at each end, and the three groups being at different levels for vertical adjustment as follows:

Low adjustment eyelets 20a, Zia, 20b, 2|b Medium adjustment eyelets 20b, 21b, 200, Ho High adjustment eyelets 20c, 2lc, 20d, 2Id

A lacing 22 may be applied to any one of these groups of eyelets according to the adjustment required. In Fig. 3 the lacing is shown applied for the high adjustment.

The construction described herein provides for comfortable and effective adjustment despite variations in the lengths of wearers legs and differences in the tastes of individual wearers as to the positions on the leg they desire the attachment effected.

Variations may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as it is hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. In a boot having knee harness a knee harneSs comprising a leg-encircling structure at the inner surface of the boot, said structure comprising a pair of generally T-shaped elements each having its stem secured to the boot and its crossed portion extending circumferentially of the leg portion with the ends of the crossed portions in circumferentially spaced-apart relation, eyelets on said ends, a pair of adjacent ends each having a plurality of vertically disposed groups of the eyelets, and lacing means for securing the structure about the leg of the wearer adjustable circumferentially and adjustable in the vertical direction by the corresponding of said groups of eyelets in accordance with their levels.

2. In a boot having knee harness a knee harness comprising a leg-encircling structure at the inner surface of the boot, said structure comprising a pair of generally T-shaped elements each having its stem secured to the boot and its cross portion extending circumferentially of the leg portion with the ends of such cross portion adjacent corresponding ends of the cross portion of the other element, fastening elements at all said ends for securing the adjacent ends together for securing the harness about the leg of the wearer, a pair of adjacent ends each having a plurality of vertically disposed groups of the fastening elements for securing the harness adjustably in the vertical direction in accordance with the levels of said. groups.

3. In a boot having knee harness ajknee harness comprising a leg-encircling lining structure at the inner surface of the boot, said structure comprising a pair of generally T-shaped fa-bric elements each having its stem secured :to the boot and its cross portion tapered from one end to the other thereof providing relatively small ends of the pair adjacent each other and relatively large ends of the pair positioned adjacent each other, fastening means in said small ends for securing the same, a plurality of vertically disposed groups of eyelets in said large ends, and lacing means for securing together said large ends adjustably about theileg of the wearer circumferential-ly and adjustably also in the vertical direction in accordance with the levels of said group of eyelets.

EARLE F. BAIRD. 

